ARMED police entered the property in Northolt, West London and detained a man who had barricaded himself into his own house surrounded by petrol bombs.

Armed police were locked in a stand-off with a man surrounded by petrol bombs

The police eventually gained entry to the house at around 8pm and arrested the man, named locally as Jason ­Matthews, 46.

Up to 100 people fled for their lives in the early hours of Friday as firearms officers took up positions and a large area was cordoned off.

The police are now searching the property so that the neighbours can return home.

PA

Terrified residents living close to the council house in Northolt, north-west London, were evacuated

The thing is if he’s going down, he’ll take the dogs too.

Resident

Bomb squad officers were also on stand-by at the scene. Terrified residents living close to the council house in Northolt, north-west London, were evacuated amid fears Mr Matthews could blow himself up.

He is thought to be holed up with four rottweiler dogs. The siege began after police received reports of a resident with “hazardous items” inside the house including petrol and “combustible material”. Officers say the incident is not related to terrorism and their priority is to bring the incident to a “safe conclusion”.

LNP

Jason Matthews' son went to visit his father but wasn't acknowledged

A woman neighbour, who did not want to be named, was woken early on Friday by police knocking on the door saying “there’s a bomb nearby” but after a few hours was given the “all clear”.

She later saw Mr Matthews throw his mobile phone out of a window as he talked to police negotiators, forcing them to use loud speakers instead.

Police said Mr Matthews, who is thought to have mental health problems, had “not engaged at all”.

But he posted a four-letter word message on his Facebook page 20 hours into the siege.

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Mr Matthews is thought to be holed up with four rottweiler dogs

Another resident saw police delivering a man, later confirmed as Mr Matthew’s son, to the stand-off.

He said: “Even when they brought his son and he was talking to him he wasn’t acknowledging him. “He’s still inside with his dogs.

"The police can’t get a camera or drone into his house. The police don’t know if he’s booby-trapped the house.

“They keep trying to get him out by saying ‘think of the dogs’ and ‘think of your neighbours’.

“The thing is if he’s going down, he’ll take the dogs too.” Mr Matthews is known as the man “with the dogs”, as he’s most often seen with all four.

Chief Superintendent Paul Martin, of Ealing police, said: “Our aim is to bring this to a safe conclusion for everyone. “The operation will continue for as long as is necessary.”

Ealing Council said most evacuated residents had made their own arrangements but the elderly, vulnerable or those with young children had, where necessary, been placed in bed and breakfast accommodation.